How America Is Celebrating Earth Day 2006
By Byron Belzak, Publisher-Editor, TheGreenerHome.com
Copyright 2006 MediaBear

What started 36 years ago as a curiosity in many people's minds has blossomed into a major annual reminder that greener is smarter for all people around the world.

In the United States, mayors and organizations are lining up to give Earth Day and its environmental message its just due this spring with a number of celebrations on a number of varying dates, most of which center around the end of April.

IS APRIL 22 REALLY EARTH DAY?
The Earth Day organization has pronounced April 22 as the official Earth Day in 2006 at www.earthday.org. They and many others cite Sen. Gaylord Nelson as the individual who founded Earth Day.

However, John McConnell proclaims that he is the original founder of International Earth Day, and argues that Earth Day is not April 22 at http://www.earthsite.org/origin.htm, rather at the end of March to match the first day of Spring.

Nonetheless, most Earth Day organizers follow the lead of Sen. Nelson and look to April 22 every year as the official date.

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, which is completely an online resource, weighs in on the history of Earth Day at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day.

There is much more to read and learn about Earth Day.

EARTH DAY EDUCATION
For all about Earth Day according to The Wilderness Society, click here or go to http://www.wilderness.org/Library/Documents/earthdayhistory.cfm

Earth Day Network sees Earth Day as an ideal time to encourage greater funding of environmental education. For details, click here or visit
http://www.earthday.net/news/03-13-06_release.aspx

Quite fitting are Trail.com's suggestions on how to celebrate Earth Day 2006 in the great outdoors. Click here or go to http://www.trails.com/earth-day.asp

Chemistry.org has a number of class and activity suggestions and printable sheets ideal for teachers and students who want to celebrate Earth Day with a hands-on approach. Click here or visit http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=oca%5cearthday%5c2006ccededucator.html

EARTH DAY CLEAN-UPS
In Rhode Island, Earth Day will be celebrated with nearly a 100 clean-ups across the State. For more information, click here or visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/earthday/cleanup.htm

Earth Day clean-up activities are popular in many American cities and counties, such as Minneapolis, MN, at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=709 and Santa Barbara, CA, at http://www.keyt.com/keyevent/2477966.html

For a guide of Earth Day activities in Houston, TX, visit http://www.houstonearthday.org/

In the St. Louis, MO, area the Missouri Arts Council and others are celebrating Earth Day with a concert series of chamber music at http://equinoxchamberplayers.org/earthday2006.htm

EARTH DAY CALL TO ACTION
America's youth is encouraged by The Student Conservation Association to roll up its sleeves on Earth Day at http://www.thesca.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=346&Itemid=878

Some see Earth Day as a family fun day. In Titusville, Florida, "The Enchanted Forest" is celebrating Earth Day at http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/earthday/index.html

The Coral Reef Alliance, also in Florida, encourages a "Dive-In" Earth Day celebration for conservation purposes at http://www.coralreefalliance.org/divein/

EARTH DAY YEAR 'ROUND
And there are those who see Earth Day as more than a one-day event, such as Earth Day New York, an educational nonprofit, at http://www.earthdayny.org/

The Sierra Club is uses the Earth Day platform as an opportunity to promote "Cool Cities," which subscribe to reduce global warming through green efforts every day, 365 days a year, at http://www.sierraclub.org/earthday/

The issue of combatting global warming is another group's concern at Earth Day Energy Fast, which encourages people to reduce their energy consumption at http://www.earthdayenergyfast.org/

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT?
If you are the cynic who says "Been there, done that, have the t-shirt," then you won't need to visit this site that offers t-shirts for sales to promote Earth Day at http://www.cmfsinc.com/t-shirts.htm

RESTORATION, SUSTAINABILITY, FAIRS, SOLUTIONS
California State Parks Foundation encourages clean-up and restoration throughout its park system at http://calparks.org/

In Alexandria, Virginia, the city's official theme of this year's Earth Day is "sustainability," in an effort to encourage people to participate in the every day practices that improve the environment. Click here or visit http://www.alexearthday.org/

Sacremento, California, also shares the idea of promoting sustainability with its Earth Day celebrations of awareness and education. Click here or go to  http://www.earthdaysac.org/sacramentoearthday2006.htm

Jacksonville, FL, offers an Ecology Fair at http://www.jea.com/earthday/

Cape May County, NJ, is promoting the theme of finding "pollution solutions." Click here or visit http://www.capemaycountygov.net/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=5&TPID=5368

MORE AND MORE
For more listings of Earth Day events and celebrations across the nation and around the world, visit EnviroLink.org at http://earthday.envirolink.org/calendar.html.

The State of Kentucky offers suggestions on what you can do on Earth Day 2006. Click here or visit
http://www.eppc.ky.gov/educationoutreach/earthday/

Even the U.S. Army's Environmental Office declares that Earth Day is April 22 every year. For details on how it is celebrating Earth Day this year, click here or visit: http://aec.army.mil/usaec/publicaffairs/earthday00.html

SMILE, DON'T CRY
Finally, if you need a moment of levity on Earth Day, visit Grist where blogs, sarcasim, humor and education about Earth Day and other green news is never in short supply. Enter Earth Day into the search when you visit http://www.grist.org.

Sometimes, you've got to laugh about it all a little, otherwise you just might cry.

Awareness is the first step to action with hope. Education need not be dry and humorless. At least that's my take on it all. Happy Earth Day, for many years to come.

Copyright 2006 MediaBear

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